Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Positive"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)



{Law of Charles} (Physics), the law that the volume of a
given mass of gas increases or decreases, by a definite
fraction of its value for a given rise or fall of
temperature; -- sometimes less correctly styled {Gay
Lussac's law}, or {Dalton's law}.

{Law of nations}. See {International law}, under
{International}.

{Law of nature}.
(a) A broad generalization expressive of the constant
action, or effect, of natural conditions; as, death
is a law of nature; self-defense is a law of nature.
See {Law}, 4.
(b) A term denoting the standard, or system, of morality
deducible from a study of the nature and natural
relations of human beings independent of supernatural
revelation or of municipal and social usages.

{Law of the land}, due process of law; the general law of the
land.

{Laws of honor}. See under {Honor}.

{Laws of motion} (Physics), three laws defined by Sir Isaac
Newton: (1) Every body perseveres in its state of rest or
of moving uniformly in a straight line, except so far as
it is made to change that state by external force. (2)
Change of motion is proportional to the impressed force,
and takes place in the direction in which the force is
impressed. (3) Reaction is always equal and opposite to
action, that is to say, the actions of two bodies upon
each other are always equal and in opposite directions.

{Marine law}, or {Maritime law}, the law of the sea; a branch
of the law merchant relating to the affairs of the sea,
such as seamen, ships, shipping, navigation, and the like.
--Bouvier.

{Mariotte's law}. See {Boyle's law} (above).

{Martial law}.See under {Martial}.

{Military law}, a branch of the general municipal law,
consisting of rules ordained for the government of the
military force of a state in peace and war, and
administered in courts martial. --Kent. Warren's
Blackstone.

{Moral law},the law of duty as regards what is right and
wrong in the sight of God; specifically, the ten
commandments given by Moses. See {Law}, 2.

{Mosaic}, or {Ceremonial}, {law}. (Script.) See {Law}, 3.

{Municipal}, or {Positive}, {law}, a rule prescribed by the
supreme power of a state, declaring some right, enforcing
some duty, or prohibiting some act; -- distinguished from
international and constitutional law. See {Law}, 1.

{Periodic law}. (Chem.) See under {Periodic}.

{Roman law}, the system of principles and laws found in the
codes and treatises of the lawmakers and jurists of
ancient Rome, and incorporated more or less into the laws
of the several European countries and colonies founded by
them. See {Civil law} (above).

{Statute law}, the law as stated in statutes or positive
enactments of the legislative body.

{Sumptuary law}. See under {Sumptuary}.

{To go to law}, to seek a settlement of any matter by
bringing it before the courts of law; to sue or prosecute
some one.

{To} {take, or have}, {the law of}, to bring the law to bear
upon; as, to take the law of one's neighbor. --Addison.

{Wager of law}. See under {Wager}.

Syn: Justice; equity.

Usage: {Law}, {Statute}, {Common law}, {Regulation}, {Edict},
{Decree}. Law is generic, and, when used with
reference to, or in connection with, the other words
here considered, denotes whatever is commanded by one
who has a right to require obedience. A statute is a
particular law drawn out in form, and distinctly
enacted and proclaimed. Common law is a rule of action
founded on long usage and the decisions of courts of
justice. A regulation is a limited and often,
temporary law, intended to secure some particular end
or object. An edict is a command or law issued by a
sovereign, and is peculiar to a despotic government. A
decree is a permanent order either of a court or of
the executive government. See {Justice}.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Positive \Pos"i*tive\, a.
1. (Mach. & Mech.)
(a) Designating, or pertaining to, a motion or device in
which the movement derived from a driver, or the grip
or hold of a restraining piece, is communicated
through an unyielding intermediate piece or pieces;
as, a claw clutch is a positive clutch, while a
friction clutch is not.
(b) Designating, or pertaining to, a device giving a
to-and-fro motion; as, a positive dobby.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Demonstration \Dem`on*stra"tion\, n. [L. demonstratio: cf. F.
d['e]monstration.]
1. The act of demonstrating; an exhibition; proof;
especially, proof beyond the possibility of doubt;
indubitable evidence, to the senses or reason.

Those intervening ideas which serve to show the
agreement of any two others are called ``proofs;''
and where agreement or disagreement is by this means
plainly and clearly perceived, it is called
demonstration. --Locke.

2. An expression, as of the feelings, by outward signs; a
manifestation; a show.

Did your letters pierce the queen to any
demonstration of grief? --Shak.

Loyal demonstrations toward the prince. --Prescott.

3. (Anat.) The exhibition and explanation of a dissection or
other anatomical preparation.

4. (Mil.) a decisive exhibition of force, or a movement
indicating an attack.

5. (Logic) The act of proving by the syllogistic process, or
the proof itself.

6. (Math.) A course of reasoning showing that a certain
result is a necessary consequence of assumed premises; --
these premises being definitions, axioms, and previously
established propositions.

{Direct}, or {Positive}, {demonstration} (Logic & Math.), one
in which the correct conclusion is the immediate sequence
of reasoning from axiomatic or established premises; --
opposed to

{Indirect}, or {Negative}, {demonstration} (called also
{reductio ad absurdum}), in which the correct conclusion
is an inference from the demonstration that any other
hypothesis must be incorrect.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Positive \Pos"i*tive\, n.
1. That which is capable of being affirmed; reality. --South.

2. That which settles by absolute appointment.

3. (Gram.) The positive degree or form.

4. (Photog.) A picture in which the lights and shades
correspond in position with those of the original, instead
of being reversed, as in a negative. --R. Hunt.

5. (Elec.) The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic
cell.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Positive \Pos"i*tive\, a. [OE. positif, F. positif, L.
positivus. See {Position}.]
1. Having a real position, existence, or energy; existing in
fact; real; actual; -- opposed to negative. ``Positive
good.'' --Bacon.

2. Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on
changing circumstances or relations; absolute; -- opposed
to relative; as, the idea of beauty is not positive, but
depends on the different tastes individuals.

3. Definitely laid down; explicitly stated; clearly
expressed; -- opposed to implied; as, a positive
declaration or promise.

Positive words, that he would not bear arms against
King Edward's son. --Bacon.

4. Hence: Not admitting of any doubt, condition,
qualification, or discretion; not dependent on
circumstances or probabilities; not speculative;
compelling assent or obedience; peremptory; indisputable;
decisive; as, positive instructions; positive truth;
positive proof. ``'T is positive 'gainst all exceptions.''
--Shak.

5. Prescribed by express enactment or institution; settled by
arbitrary appointment; said of laws.

In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally;
that which is positive, not so. --Hooker.

6. Fully assured; confident; certain; sometimes,
overconfident; dogmatic; overbearing; -- said of persons.

Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if
once wrong, will needs be always. --Pope.

7. Having the power of direct action or influence; as, a
positive voice in legislation. --Swift.

8. (Photog.) Corresponding with the original in respect to
the position of lights and shades, instead of having the
lights and shades reversed; as, a positive picture.

9. (Chem.)
(a) Electro-positive.
(b) Hence, basic; metallic; not acid; -- opposed to
{negative}, and said of metals, bases, and basic
radicals.

{Positive crystals} (Opt.), a doubly refracting crystal in
which the index of refraction for the extraordinary ray is
greater than for the ordinary ray, and the former is
refracted nearer to the axis than the latter, as quartz
and ice; -- opposed to negative crystal, or one in which
this characteristic is reversed, as Iceland spar,
tourmaline, etc.

{Positive degree} (Gram.), that state of an adjective or
adverb which denotes simple quality, without comparison or
relation to increase or diminution; as, wise, noble.

{Positive electricity} (Elec), the kind of electricity which
is developed when glass is rubbed with silk, or which
appears at that pole of a voltaic battery attached to the
plate that is not attacked by the exciting liquid; --
formerly called {vitreous electricity}; -- opposed to
{negative electricity}.

{Positive eyepiece}. See under {Eyepiece}.

{Positive law}. See {Municipal law}, under {Law}.

{Positive motion} (Mach.), motion which is derived from a
driver through unyielding intermediate pieces, or by
direct contact, and not through elastic connections, nor
by means of friction, gravity, etc.; definite motion.

{Positive philosophy}. See {Positivism}.

{Positive pole}.
(a) (Elec.) The pole of a battery or pile which yields
positive or vitreous electricity; -- opposed to
{negative pole}.
(b) (Magnetism) The north pole. [R.]

{Positive quantity} (Alg.), an affirmative quantity, or one
affected by the sign plus [+].

{Positive rotation} (Mech.), left-handed rotation.

{Positive sign} (Math.), the sign [+] denoting plus, or more,
or addition.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

positive
adj 1: characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or
certainty etc.; "a positive attitude"; "the reviews
were all positive"; "a positive benefit"; "a positive
demand" [ant: {negative}, {neutral}]
2: having a positive electric charge; "protons are positive"
[syn: {electropositive}] [ant: {negative}, {neutral}]
3: persuaded of; very sure; "were convinced that it would be to
their advantage to join"; "I am positive he is lying";
"was confident he would win" [syn: {convinced(p)}, {positive(p)},
{confident(p)}]
4: involving advantage or good; "a plus (or positive) factor"
[syn: {plus}]
5: (medicine) indicating existence or presence of a suspected
condition or pathogen; "a positive pregnancy test" [syn: {confirming}]
[ant: {negative}]
6: formally laid down or imposed; "positive laws" [syn: {prescribed}]
7: impossible to deny or disprove; "incontrovertible proof of
the defendant's innocence"; "proof positive"; "an
irrefutable argument" [syn: {incontrovertible}, {irrefutable}]
8: of or relating to positivism; "positivist thinkers";
"positivist doctrine"; "positive philosophy" [syn: {positivist},
{positivistic}]
9: (mathematics) greater than zero; "positive numbers"
10: marked by excessive confidence; "an arrogant and cocksure
materialist"; "so overconfident and impudent as to speak
to the queen"; "the less he knows the more positive he
gets" [syn: {cocksure}, {overconfident}]
11: granting what has been desired or requested; "a favorable
reply"; "a positive answer" [syn: {favorable}]
n : a film showing a photographic image whose tones correspond
to those of the original subject


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